After an eight-month delay, Magic the darkness of the evil, and finally, with Over 30 companions and hirelings Ozndle II is finally out (it did, however, the help of King Rebnard, track down a may be recruited, and the recruits may show up before Ultima VII, Ultima rare bird and the ancestors of four abandon the party for a variety of Underworld and Indiana Jones and the ancient heroes, ultimately banishing reasons. Hirelings and companions give Fate of Atlantis).The delay was so frus Zakhad from the land of Gurtex. the game one of its most pleasant trating to its creator, Ali Atabek, that he This quest is a vast one, encompass features, because they do not disappear once jokingly vowed to there would be ing long treks across and beneath a vast when dismissed. Instead, they attempt to executions at Mindcraft - starting with continent. Along the way, library make their way home to the place where himself - if the game did not meet its research, the use of deductive reasoning they were before recruitment. Dismissed Christmas deadline.Thankfully, Ali is and simple conversation must be used to companions and hirelings can be still with us ... but is Magic Ozndle II unearth the secrets of the magic words captured by the forces of evil, setting up worth the wait? you'll need to open portals and to learn the possibility of a rescue attempt. The game now has the combinations of Companions and hirelings can be digitized sounds, music, geometric shapes that contacted via magical mindstones. high-res graphics and activate teleportals. There are three basic perspectives, or color and also enjoys a Your group of six views, in the game: the wilderness map, depth of play and many adventurers will be the interior view (inside a castle, city or player innovations that required to slog their dungeon), and the room view. In a have been a long time way from one end of room, the individual characters move coming. I think Magic the continent to the independently; combat is conducted at Ozndle II was well worth other and discover this level. From the interior perspective, waiting for, but let me go hidden towns and the characters move as a unit with a over what it's about and what the new secrets. leader, and this view is the main one features are so you can make up your Many companions and hirelings, used while exploring. On the wilderness own mind about the sequel. each distinct personalities, may be map only an arrow appears on the map, recruited to travel along. Companions marking the party's location; travel by Ten years after can be assigned tasks to complete and Ten years have gone by since the story of places to go on behalf of the party, while Continued on page 14 the first Magic Ozndle. The heroes of the magical contact is maintained with your first ·adventure have aged, grown lazy main hero or heroine. Contents and forgotten their spells and skills. In ten years some new arts have been devel Classic role-playing oped, new spells have been created, and Magic Ozndle II is a pure role-playing new dangers now stalk the land. game, with nine basic attributes that The original "four and forty" guar include bravery, loyalty, and resistance dians have been captured by the forces in addition to the usual six attributes. of darkness. The "four" were impris Bravery and loyalty endow the compan oned in white, pink, blue and grey ions and hirelings with more personality candles, and it's up to you to rescue and regulate how the characters behave them by awakening the lost gods and in combat and on tedious assignments. obtaining their blessing. You've also got There are eighteen skills that encom-· to recover and activate the lost scrolls, pass fighting, trade, magic and music. find the four candles hidden deep within Companions can be assigned to work for wages, to go to certain safe locations, or to simply wait at a location until the by Alfred C. Giovetti · party returns. Shay Addams' The386- and that a joint production from The Mail Maze required Infocom and SSI, Lost Treasures of Adventure the Savage Frontier, is still under games. development at Back Burner, Inc.) Road arnve The Amiga version of Pools of u~__-=====~____.~ ~~n ~ It was just a Darkness arrived in mid-April (the Dear QuestBusters: matter of time - MSDOS version was reviewed in our every software October 1991 issue). Treasures of the I do like your coverage of dedicated developer has been Savage Frontier is scheduled for an game machines, because there are waiting to see who Amiga conversion by summer. And some good role-playing videogames. would go first with a 386-only game, Sierra's Amiga Police Quest III Could you rate the top ten games for and now Origin has released two. arrived (see December 1991 for Sega, Nintendo and Super Nintendo. In order to play Ultima covereage of the MSDOS original). Dr. George Perez Underworld, you'll need at least a 386SX. It also supports the DX and Bard's Tale N Ceccolal Are you reading this? Or 486. Other requirements are two Electronic Arts has a new producer in ;ust your own reviews? If you do megs of RAM and a memory their Stories divi happen to read it, consider this an manager. I'm play sion - Victor assignment and get it in by May 30. ing it on a 386SX at Penman, who was Give us a one-liner about each ·game, 16 MHz, and it's formerly doing the and don't do more than 600 words . . fast and smooth. Gold Box games Ultima VII for SSI. Dear Que~usters: supports same He called the I'm tired of getting a new computer machines - but 20 other day and every two years just to keep up with MHz is recom mentioned that EA the technology, so I plan to get a vide mended. Ultima VII is currently doing ogame machine. Do you plan to do a has i'8 own memory Treasures of Savage Frontier the next Bard's newsletter about videogames? manager. Other Tale in-house, though there is no requirements include 21+ megs of working title or release date yet. My Jose Gecko hard disk space and 256-color VGA. guess is maybe Christmas. (Another What this means for developers is source told me EA has already poured No way, Jose/ We are already way that the market for 386-only games is nearly a million dollars into the too busy with QB and Simularions!. about to be tested. H Origin's bold game's development). move pans out, you can count on seeing more such games from every one. Meanwhile, if you don't akeady Sega vs. Accolade have a 386 and are planning to The latest round in a legal battle upgrade soon, spend a few more between Sega and Accolade may have bucks and get a 486 so you can keep far-ranging effects on the freedom of up with the technology for maybe the all software developers to write Editor: Shay Addams next two years. programs for computers as well as for Managing Editor: Dora McCormick videogame machine8. Essentially what News Editor: Dick Van Dyke . happened was that Sega's new operat Contributing Editors: Bernie Yee, Al More new quests ing system was revised to include Giovetti, Rich Heimlich, Ken St. For MSDOS and quest-alikes, code that causes a message stating Andre, Stephen King, Brian Smith, Steven Payne, Russ Ceccola, Bruce E. Infocom has released Steve that any cartridge inserted into the Wiley, Duffy, This Reviewer Meretzky's Leather Goddesses of Sega Genesis was produced by or Phobos II. As the author points out licensed by Sega. QuestBusteis, the journal of the in a recent letter, it is a parser-free When Accolade "reverse world's largest group of adventure adventure whose design called for engineered'° the operating system in gamers, is published monthly by digitized graphics and sounds from order to develop their own games for ZombieMeisters of the Fourth Reich. the outset. It's an easy one, though. the Genesis - as developers typically Annual dues: 3rd Class, $19; lst Class, $25, Canada, $26, lnt'l, $36. SSI shipped Treasures of the do for the IBM, Amiga and most Savage Frontier, the sequel to and Contents Copyright Eld.rit.ch, LTD., computers - they mimicked this 1991, All Rights Reserved. Copying final game (there were only two!) in code without realizing it would without express permission is prohib the series launched with Gateway to produce such a message. Then Sega ited & punishable by a seventeen the Savage Frontier. (Rumor has it a declared the display of this message year-old in a pickup truck. third game was to have been called when an Accolade game was slipped Evil Wizards of the Savage Frontier, Member: Continued on page 6 South American Explorers Club Planet's Edge: ,,,e Point of No Retum hose of you who frequently visit in orbit. It appears that the Earth is Team member skills and ship software stores don't need me to tell still there, but in a different weapon and engine configurations T you that there is a definite lack of dimension. can also be modified from the moon. science fiction RPGs and adventures. Success in attaining this goal - As players find parts of the Centauri It is easy to choose such a game when and there are two ways to achieve it Device, they bring them back to the there arc only a handful available, - depends on collecting and assem Research Center on the moon for but difficult to pick a great game bling the eight pieces of the Centauri examination and reconstruction. when the field is so limited. Drive, an alien mechanism that can Your party is well-balanced from As the technology moves forward restore the Earth to ~-""'!!• a skill standpoint in our world, so does players' tastes its former glory and and is also the in quests. In order for a science visibility. best racially fiction RPG to work, it needs to The planet was balanced incorporate the depth and intuitive warped into a worm computer game interface techniques of the better hole as a result of an fve seen (African hack-and-slash, AD & D-type games. explosion on the engmeer, Who better to put together such a extraterrestrial Ship American naviga game than New World Computing, a (ETS) that tor, Russian company and team of designers who, approached Earth in weapons special with their Might & Magic series, has peace, but could not effectively ist and Japanese scientist/physician). years of experience in the fantasy communicate its intentions until too Each person has six skills: three basic RPG genre. Might & Magic III: Isles late. You must trace the path of the ones and three secondary skills, from of Terra, the latest in the M & M ETS to unravel the clues to this a selection of sixteen possible skills series, set new standards in that mystery and the locations of the eight such as Hand Weapons, Ship's Repair genre, as Planet's Edge does for pieces of the Centauri Drive. and Communications. The pre-rolled science fiction RPGs. The story unfolds in description characters work well for the game, This is New World's first science and dialogue text windows as you but a team with strengths in certain fiction game. With intricately-woven examine things and talk to people areas does have it benefits. These story and subplots all tied into a main and robots. To speak with a nearby skills do have an important impact on quest that spans the galaxy, Planet's NPC, you click him with the "talk" game play. icon until you've read everything he The original party members are has to say-you never have to type four people who, if killed, can be Type: Science fiction role-playing in keywords as in an Ultima. replaced with clones. Faces and System: MS DOS (640K & hard You can solve the object-oriented names are the same, but skills are disk required; EGA, VGNMCGA, puzzles that impede your progress, rerolled each time you clone a charac Tandy; Roland, Ad Lib, Sound giving key characters the artifacts ter. Each of the four can be Blaster, Tandy 3-voice/DAC they demand - or you can simply "recloned" until you arc happy with Planned ports: Amiga blow them away and walk through his or her abilities. If the party is the door they are guarding. Every wiped out, you automatically start situation can be dealt with in either over at Moonbase - and a "rescue Edge offers lots of fun for the die way, so you can actually complete the team" recovers all the objects they hard science fiction fan and a quest without solving a single puzzle. had, which is a real time-saver. welcome diversion from the standard The captain assumes the rqle of fare of dragons in dungeons. To the moon. Alice ••• any officer who is killed. (When you Moonbase is the HQ for your explo click the icon of a dead character The invisible planet ration team and your first ship, the while on a planet, you are told "He's Set in the year 2045, Planet's Edge Ulysses. Here you can build useful dead, Jim," the only Star Trek joke puts the player in charge of a four objects for team members and use fve seen so far.) person team of galactic adventurers raw materials collected on the various whose job is to reclaim Earth from a planets to upgrade the space ship, an Flight control central warp field that renders it invisible. diverting activity that is reminiscent Travel through is directed from the Despite its invisibility, the Earth's of classics such as Sun Dog and bridge of the ship, in Star Trek: 25th gravity still keeps the moon and Universe I and II. Anniversary, but with only the four satellites. crew members. To enter commands, by Russ Ceccola Continued on next page Building ships &. lasers explore, and dogfights in space. And the Planet's Edge ...... from 3 Most of your time is spent on the surface planets are incredibly detailed, especially of planet after planet, but ship-building considering the vast number of them. simply click on the appropriate officer and outfitting arc also fun. When you You can switch between two map for the job to bring up a menu of four or pick a new part to add, an animated magnifications. This is particularly five options. robot arm grabs it and puts it in place. useful during planetside journeys, As you move from planet to planet You can have up to three ships, each because they reveal only as much as the for each given star to armed and equipped team sees through movement and elimi investigate the mystery """"-"'!!m differently. If headed nate the need for hundreds of pages of and follow the leads for a star blockade, maps that would be necessary to finish based on information get a ship with the mission. you discover, you extra fircpowcr, Throughout your space jaunts, music quickly formulate a defi such as a turret gun keeps the juices flowing and reflects the nite plan of action for instead of forward tone of the action at that time. Sound exploration. firing cannon or effects reintroduce those great sci-fi Flying a space ship is laser. For trading, pings, blips and beeps that we've heard not as hard as it sounds, you could build a before, but it's very important to the at least not in Planet's Edge. Once cargo ship that has the largest hull size atmosphere and fun of Planet's Edge you've visited a star system by flying and could haul more raw materials that they're there. there manually, its name appears in the around space. You can name your saved games, auto-pilot menu. There arc sixteen raw materials - and save as many as you have hard disk Manual flight is more like playing crystals, alien metals and so on - to space for. When you start the game, it Asteroids or Star. Control than Star discover, trade for, and use to build new auto-loads your last position, and you Flig[1t • .i\nimatiQn is not limited to the weapons and parts. The quality of the can foad a saved game without restarting ships. Each planet actually moves things you can build depends on your the program. around its sun instead of remaining level of technology, which increases as Conclusions: Planet's Edge was hard to stationary, lending the experience a you make discoveries. put down. It reminds me Megatraveller stronger sense of realism. You can see With such a variety of things to do in plot and design, but simplifies a lot of this motion in the main screen, and get and places to explore, Planet's Edge will the elements of those games for a better an overview in the radar display. keep players busy gaming experience. With Which brings up one oversight of the for countless hours. a Zork-like plot and Star manual, which doesn't say a thing about There is much to Trek-like team, Planet's what all those blips and colored dots the game that has Edge takes sci-fi games represent. It's usually easy enough to nothing to do with to a new fun level that figure out, at least until the screen is, the main goal yet was previously hard to filled with a thousand points of colored offers challenges to achieve when companies light. the player and more simply put the trappings ways to .have fun. of a sci-fi game on the Top-down combat You must bare bones of an AD&D Space combat works well. Instead of the upgrade your ship and put together type interface. typical first-person, 3D perspective, certain alien devices in order to increase All the months of waiting were outer space maneuvers take place in two the level of preparedness for the next set worth it, because Planet's Edge earns dimensional space seen from overhead. of obstacles. Finding the pieces of the new respect for science fiction games. Most the time you'll be looking at an Centauri Drive is a daunting challenge The goal is attainable and appropriate aerial view of the planet, as in Martian that requires you to properly customize for the story, and you will get so caught Dreams and Ultima. It is easy to move your ships and adapt your team to more up in the exploration of new planets and the team members around and issue dangerous cirCumstances so they can communication with alien races that you commands. But the interface is a bit wage successful battles on planets and in might forget about the Centauri Device weird until you get used to it, because space. and enjoy Planet's Edge for the explora there are two sets of command icons that tion, discovery and fun alone. ll you switch between by pressing the right Graphics & sounds and left mouse buttons. Hot keys are Graphics, sound effects and music in Difficulty: Intermediate available for most actions. Planet's Edge are just wonderful. The Company: New World Computing screen is filled with large characters, Price: $59.95 cinematic scenes, vast new worlds to QuestBustcn price: $ 49 4 QuestBusters Obitus: aiolher grXJfy nane ftan Ps~ by Al C. Giovetti n a dark and rainy night, our the castles, dungeon, mines and caves checkerboard fashion, such that the 0 hero Wil Mason drives his are presented in a third-person diagonals form a right triangle with safety-conscious Volvo Estate off the perspective side view. The third the shorter north-south and east-west road -yes, even the Volvo dies in person-perspective side view is remi corridors. As you can see, mapping is this adventure. Wil lives, however, niscent of arcade titles such as possible, but highly confusing with and is soon plodding down the road Barbarian. out auto-mapping. to find refuge from the storm in an The map is divided up into four Wil has an inventory of objects abandoned medieval tower. separate quadrants to the northwest, that can be used to open doors (keys), After falling asleep, Wil awakes northeast, southwest and southeast, restore health (food and potions) and to find that the erstwhile tower - with the tower in the middle. All increase the ability to fight (weapons with him still in it around the and arrows). A full 24-item inventory - has been tele tower is forest screen can be displayed by selecting ported to a (also divided the info icon and clicking on the medieval land into four inventory window. ruled by four evil quadrants). You won't need to scrounge brothers who have Beyond the around for a bow: one just happens absconded with forest are the to be in Wil's possession when the essential tower four castles of game starts. The bow appears to be components. These the four evil magical, since it does not appear in tower components brothers. There his inventory. In order to use the arc gems that are are dungeons in bow, Wil selects "use" and makes necessary to the efficient operation of the two eastern castles, while the sure the arrows arc in the active the time machine tower, which has western castles have caves (south window at the bottom of the adven now become Wil's only way home to west) or mines (northwest). turing display. Clicking on an his wrecked Volvo and his suppos The first key you find allows you opponent causes an arrow to be shot edly rewarding job in a crowded to access the northwest quadrant of at the location pointed to on the modem city. the map. In addition to the four opponent. castles, there arc nine si:X-by-six Combat is real-time, and appar What it•s not (approximately) space maze sections, ently can be initiated by Wil or the Advertised as a "role-playing arcade/ plus 400 characters with whom you denizens of medieval Middlemere. adventure game," this European can trade, talk and fight. Some characters will not attack you game has all the earmarks of a unless you attack them first. Others, foreign production. It is supposed to Dazed and confused such as bowmen, are anxious to be role-playing, but there are no Unfortunately shoot you statistics or improvement possibilities there is no auto ~======~ down if you for attributes, skills or levels. There is mapping. Type: Action Adventure come close some limited character interaction. Combined with System: Amiga, MSDOS (640K enough. Talking to characters will get you a the eight possible and mouse required, joystick Knights few clues and more objects to directions of travel optional; EGA, CGA, VGA, and many accumulate. and the first Hercules, Tandy Color; Ad Lib, more char- The game is mostly an arcade/ person perspective Roland, Tandy, Sound Blaster) acters are adventure game and should be in themaze Planned ports: ST almost avoided by die-hard role-playing sequences, this invincible, adventure gamers. Those who enjoy oversight makes moving around very while others dissolve into dust at the adventure with arcade elements will disorienting. The disorientation and mere mention of combat. Illogically, recogniu the Psygnosis style of game. unusual eight compass direction head many seemingly non-violent good Early parts of the game, called ing makes mapping difficult. characters must be killed to prevent maze sections, are presented in a first At the bottom of the display, a them from blocking your path. In person perspective view of the forest, compass brightens up at every cross fact, the object of this game seems to mines and caves that is similar to the road to show that you can tum at be: if it moves, kill it. presentation in Eye of the Beholder that point. By turning your character, Game functions such as save, load and Legend of Darkmoon. The later you can see which passages are avail and pause are supported. The part (castle sections) and the paths able. In spite of the eight possible (parallax sections) from the woods to directions, the maps are arranged in Continued on next page Obltus .... from previous page Adventure Road ...... from 2 requiring you to reboot the machine if into the machine constituted a copyright you wants to quit or exit the game. Copy and trademark violation.· ~£ aoolt protection is by keyword from the 41- Already a Federal judge had granted page manual. The game uses either a preliminary injunction against OP oaBI keyboard or joystick and mouse - but Accolade that, once effective, would you must have a mouse to pick up prevent them from developing or distrib objects, manipulate objects and use the uting games for the Genesis. Accolade is &ave and load ~reen. still fighting, and if they lose, the deci In case you just A nice feature is the ability to define sion (which could redefine the definition joined QuestBusters and missed movement keys when using the keyboard of reverse-engineering and the impact of the past two issues of the Journal, the instead of the joystick. Hot keys can be relevant copyright and trademark laws) next Quest for Clues will be called used for the nine main game icons. You might lead to a situation in which hard Quest for Clues: The Book of Orbs - are limited to twelve save games, unless ware manufacturers decide who writes not Quest for Clues V. Instead of hold floppies are employed. games for their machines, and what kind ing onto the solutions we've got now of games. Now the key question: what until we have 40 for a traditional book, Graphics and sounds kind of adventure games can we expect we'll publish solutions to 20 games in Graphics are quite good, with good use to see if IBM or Commodore have the spring. of color and detail. Colors are a bit control over the topics and designs, the So you')! get these 20 solutions while muted and seem be dark and washed out puzzles and the magic systems? you're still playing the games, not after rather than the brighter colors seen in Accolade says a negative decision they've ~ shelved for six months. In many other games. The musical theme at will not stop them from maintaining the fall we'll do a book with 20 games the beginning of the game is quite good their position as a major player in the from spring and summer. and is enjoyable. But what you hear entertainment software market, but you inside the game is unremarkable, with no can be sure that market will not be what The Top Twenty real use of mood music or stings. it is today if Sega gets away with this assault on the free enterprise system that The Book of Orbs will cover: Star Trek: Conclusions: Obitus is a fair effort by 25h Anniversary Edition, Might & has made this nation so great (I gather the company that has been an innovator Magic 3, Conquests of the Longbow, you noticed I've drifted from reporting in the industry since their hits Deep Vengeance of Excalibur, Pools of the hard news into editorializing on its Space and Bratacus. Bratacus was an Darkness, Monkey Island 2, Roger implications; to any Sega attorneys read arcade adventure with a sense of humor. Rabbit, Police Quest III, Martian ing an unauthorized copy of Memorandum, Leisure Suit Larry V, Years later we are seeing another arcade QuestBusters, I should point out that Willy Beamish, Les Manley 2, Gateway adventure from Psygnosis of vast scope this is known as freedom of the press). to the Savage Frontier, Megatraveller 2, and with a good plot. . So what can we as gamers do to Spellcasting 201, Conan, Elvira 2, Still, Obitus has room for improve preserve our Constitutional right to Cruise for a Corpse, Ultima Underworld ment. It is definitely not a role-playing pursuit of happiness by playing good and Buck Rogers II. adventure, but an arcade adventure with computer games - instead of the kind limited role-playing characteristics. The we'll wind up playing if it's left up to Order early. order often game has an inventory, a save game hardware manufacturers? All I can think Origin says it will be out in May. Quest routine and limited character interaction. of right now is smashing hundreds for Clues: The Book of Orbs goes for Obitus is worth a look and perhaps, if Genesis machines on the steps of the $15 instead of the usual $25 And even you like it, you will have found a unique . Federal District Court in San Francisco though there will be no coupon good for gem. Ultimately, Obitus is an arcade free issues of the newsletter in this book to protest Sega's totalitarian (in my adventure - I only hope Obitus II will - current members will get one free humble opinion) tactics. QuestBusters be a Psygnosis role-playing adventure. ll issue of QuestBusters for each book will gladly provide the sledge hammers. ordered. There is no surcharge for VISA It may not have an effect on the or MasterCard. Just print and sign your Difficulty: Intermediate judge's decision, at least Sega will learn name as it appean on the card, and C.Ompaoy: Psygnosis that in addition to copyright and trade provide the expiration date. See the back Price: Amiga, $59; MSDOS, $49 mark laws, the USA also has a bill of cover for details on shipping. ll QuestBusters price: $$49/$39 rights that they will have far less chance of '"redefining• in a series -of hopeless lawsuits. ll 6 QuestBusters On-line role-playing: the future of RPGs? 've been playing several multi · combat is completed before moving fame and power. The problem is that player RPGs lately, and the most through, unless they want to join the since most players opt for House I impressive are those with graphic combat - which is deemed impolite Steiner or Davion, they end up front-ends, especially America On if you're not invited. controlling much of the galaxy. Game Line's Neverwinter Nights and Players are so devoted to that balance is still being tinkered with, GEnie's MechWarrior game. they've formed guilds, orchestrated though; MP BTECH, as it's called, is alignment conflicts, set bounties on in a "public" beta-testing phase. Neverwinter Nights other players, arranged for player vs. The most exciting thing about Neverwinter Nights is sent in the player combat and equipment swaps. Mech Warrior is the Solaris game AD&D Forgotten Realms world and These types of players have made the world option. It allows players to is centered around the town of game much more interesting, despite team up against another group (up to Neverwinter, the same environs in its rough edges, a few of which are a four on four melee), or allows Gateway to the Savage Frontier. The limited levels, limited goodies, limited players to go every 'MechWarrior for geography is the same in the NPC interaction, EGA graphics, himself.' Because of low-traffic, I only computer and online versions, ·but constant monster room resets (which got to duel once or twice, but it was that's where the resemblance ends. are unavoidable, since you can't let great fun. Kesmai is working on Neverwinter Nights uses a one character kill the monster in the adding a number of new role-playing graphic front-end very similar to SSl's room and ruin it for the other 40 on elements to MP BTECH, so the game Gold Box games; in many respects, it line that session). is still dramatically evolving. is actually identical. That's the bad But Neverwinter is addicting due There are a few drawbacks. The news. Technologically, it's stuck to the human interaction. An excel number of 'Mechs is limited by the around the level of Secret of the Silver lent start - too bad they chose such original game. Kesmai may allow you Blades - EGA graphics, limited a flawed engine. Rumor has it that to modify weapons and systems, but sound, same old hack 'n' slash. GEnie will be starting up another that's it. Kesmai ultimately hopes to Level advancement stops around multi-player AD&D system. Another install a new engine in full VGA like 12th leve~ and Neverwinter still uses rumor says CompuServe has some GEnie's now very cool Air Warrior. the xenophobic first Edition AD&D thing in the works that promises to be Conclusion: If you can afford the rules, severely limiting non-human better than Neverwinter Nights. connect charges, front-end graphic character advancement. Neverwinter games provide that crucial missing is huge though, much bigger than any Mech Warrior element lacking in most CRPGs - SSI quest. And the best part is that I was gratified to hear of Kesmai human interaction. I became friends you can hook up with one of many Corp.'s reincarnation of with a player in Neverwinter, only to real-live players and trek around Mech Warrior, an excellent EGA run into him again in MP BTECH; looking for adventure. ·point-of-view RPG (sort of) set in luckily for me, he tossed me a few You can only create one charac FASA's BattleTech universe. It uses million credits to get me started. The ter, which is a drawback in the the Mech Warrior game as a front-end ability to chat and watch fellow party beginning if you can't find adventur graphics engine, which consists of an members in AD&D fight intelligently ers willing to go Lizard Man-hunting EGA, polygon-oriented point-of-view (as opposed to SSI's dreaded "auto with you. It shouldn't be hard to find role player in which your "Mech" (a combat" feature) is a pleasure. a party, though, for Neverwinter may huge armed robot) trundles across a There are still kinks - serious ones be America Online's favorite feature. landscape hunting down other Mechs - in each game system, but what There is a well-planned chat function; or attacking installations. . they lack in the latest razzle-dazzles a you can post messages to all within Rough by today's standards, the la Ultima Underworld (a spectacular earshot (10'), and send private game remains one of my favorites, game) they make up for in traditional messages to party members or ESP and Kesmai's approach bears watch role-playing: a bunch of people sitting messages to anyone in the entire ing. The multi-player additions around a table, trying to figure out Neverwinter game world. consist of a Windows-like point-and. what to do next. The next step? One member is designated as click interface that allows you to Human game-masters on-line to take leader, and the others give their char travel the galaxy (under the aegis of care of conversations and other acters a "follow" command; the one of the Houses, of course) search puzzles. With all the gamers out leader moves the party, and in cases ing for mercenary missions that there, it's hard to imagine GEnie or of large groups, movement can be benefit your wallet and your House's American Online will find it hard to slow. Your party can encounter get some volunteer sysops. ll another party in combat, and will have to patiently wait until that by Bernie Yee Clay models in Quest for Glory I, ierra On-Line has gone through a lot of My background is as a filmmaker. I'm a S work in the past year or so to reintroduc:e cinematographer. I have years and years of some of their classic games with beautiful experience in what people now call "clay new VGA graphics and their new "parser mation." I worked for 17 years in the free" interface. So far Leisure industry doing special effects mostly for Suit Larry I, Space Quat I and commercials and effects films like the ones 1.Gng's Quest I have gone this you would see in Disney World that route. Quat for Glory L· So You emulate rides ("Star Tours"). I did films Want to Be A Hero is the latest for that system. game to undergo a fac:e-lift and redesign for the parser-free QB: How long have you been at Sierra and system. Of all the upgrades, what other projects have you worked on Quat for Glory I has made the there? greatest departure from the origi- Above: clay model nal game. Sinclair: I've been here since February of of the Frost Giant 1991. I worked on Spac:e Quest I and also Mid-page: the Frost Quatfor Glory I not only has VGA did some clay animation for Castle of Dr. Giant in the game graphics that improve the tone and feel of Brain. They usually call me up for every the game, but it also sports a line-up of game to do little things.here and there, characters sculpted in clay and colorized. particularly animated sequences. Quest for It was an experiment for Sierra to use this Glory I is the first game I've worked on as process for an entire game, but the end Art Director. The next game for me will be results are beautiful and the characters Eco Quest 2. I'm not sure if we'll use clay appear from various angles and with animation or not because it's a very differ easily-adjusted lighting and shadows. ent game than Quest for Glory I. I recently had the pleas QB: Tell me about the ure of speaking with Art ------•------clay characters in the Director Arturo Sinclair game. and co-designer Lori Cole about the VGA upgrade Sinclair: Each single of Quest for Glory I. character in the game Thanks go out to Bill was sculpted in clay Linn of Sierra for setting first. The ogre in the up the interviews and game is fully animated manning the speaker fa clay, but most char phone. acters are captured in clay with the actual animation done by the computer. Arturo Sinciair, Art Director QB: Do you think clay modeling is a way to go in the future? QB: What is your experience with clay modeling and techniques? Sinclair: For fantasy games it works. But for more realistic games like Polic:e Quest Sinclair: I introduced the use of clay III, video capture/digitization is the better models here at Sierra. The first game that process to use. made use of that to a limited extent was Space Quest I - just a few sections of it. I QB: How do you layer the colors on top decided to go with clay modeling on Quest of the clay on the computer? for Glory I for a few reasons. First, it's a time-saver. It also gives a very realistic Sinclair: The clay is monochrome, appearance and solves the lighting prob although we are thinking of coloring the lems, so you don't have to rethink how the clay models to eliminate the intermediate character looks lit from above or below, coloring step. But as it is right now, we left or right. Changes can be made easily to capture the clay model in gray scale and the character. then use a program like DeluxePaint to a Quest: Busters and a look at Glory 111 and IV colorize the model want to get and what you want to ask about. QB: How long does it take to do one character? QB: Has the new interface posed any problems? Sinclair: The models are basically done in one day. And then maybe a few hours for Cole: I had to rethink how the coloring. So one character may take a characters talk in the game. I couple of days with the finishing touches. examined what they said and It takes about five pounds of clay for each reorgani.7.ed it in such a way character and most stand about 6-8" high. that it could be programmed systematically into the menus. QB: How has the process affected Quest We also made things a bit for Glory I VGA? easier for people who want to make specific movements by Sinclair: It is a very useful technique and assuming the most reasonable action in Above: clay model economically interesting. It cuts down certain situations. For example, we assume of Sheema development time and gives the game a when people click on a tree that they want Mid-page: Sheema distinctive look. Everybody has been to climb the tree and thus eliminate a in the game happy with the process and excited with climb icon from the game. It will make the results. rm sure clay models will be things a little easier because people won't used in future games. When we have more have to outguess the parser or remember a memory in our games, we'll be able to turn lot of key words. the characters around and the different views will be consistent, unlike with flat QB: Would you consider this new version animation. Clay enables you to look at of Quest for Glory I such a radical change characters from different that people who liked angles and with different · the first one would feel light sources and do the it's an entirely new work very fast. experience? Cole: Yes. Anyone who Lori Cole, liked Quest for Glory I Co-designer in EGA will love the game in VGA. The QB: Quest for Glory I mood that the graphics now uses the new Sierra interface instead create is totally different and the characters of the original parser-based system. What show more expression. It's well worth problems or changes did that cause? playing again just for the experience. With the Quest for Glory series, we put so much Cole: The first thing we had to come up into the games that rm sure players didn't with was a language system that goes see it all. You c.an play the game with the beyond what the previous parser-less different main characters and have a differ games used. We developed a menu system ent experience each time. The art changes where you can talk to characters by click the game visually and mentally and the ing on them and bringing up a menu of illusion of reality is getting closer. things you can ask them about. When you ask the character about something, the QB: Do you plan to redo Quest for Glory game comes back with a different menu of II or move right on to the third one? subjects that logically follows the first question. The menus are very natural. You Cole: I would like to do Quest for Glory II control exactly how much information you because there are some things rd like to by Russ Ceccola Continued on page 11 WALKTHRU: Sleeping Gods Lie by F. J. Philipp General South Sylvar Morav The World of Tessera consists of 8 Go E to second area. North to 3rd Talk to the Witches again. South to Kingdoms. Once you exit a Kingdom area. Find molehill. Get belt. Go S to Temple. Kill the Priest. Get his robe. you can't return. Rest in all safe return to first area. Go E to second Talk to the Wiches again. Talk to the buildings to return your health to area. Walk to Fountain. Palace Guard standing outside the maximum. Mushrooms, apples, entrance to the Palace. Enter the carrots, etc. will increase your health. DeLanda Palace. Weapons, ammunition and armor Walk quickly to Ferryman to avoid will improve as you progress. There birds. Take Ferry to Largest Island. The Palace are unlimited saves, so save often. Kill Attacker. Get sickle. Go to Tree Go N to Corridor and W to first and get Mistletoe. Go through two Room on South Wall. Enter and kill stone columns to Island Beyond the two ·Guards. Get the Trumpet. Caila Stones. Kill attackers to get bow and Rest. Get the chain mail shirt. Exit. You start out in your home in arrows. Find Molehill. Get armband. Continue W, then N through Door. Thurin. Pick up the bowl. Exiting Return to Ferryman and take Ferry to Proceed N to first door on West Wall. your house to the north you will be in Sandy Island. Walk around until you Enter. Trumpet will unlock next North Caila. Go N and talk to the pick up the sandals (these will allow door. Go through door and walk to Hermit. Go W through gate to West you to walk on water). Talk to Thron,e. Caila. Walk around until you encoun Gregors sister. She will give you a ter a molehill where you'll get a bracelet. back.door key. Go S and E to South Sunderabad Caila. At the pond fill the bowl. Go S Talk to Princess Lucia. Get a neck through Arch. Walking on Water lace. Go N to Rocky Area and exit to Walk N to Largest Island and locate East. If you get a dagger you can use peasant lying on ground. Get the vial. it to cut cactus to get water. Walk Taira Walk on water E to Island of Well. around until you see a Scarab. Talk Go E through arch to East Taira. Enter Well. Upon exiting look to left to him. Exit to North to the East Enter building in center. Get bread for object on ground. Pick up the Sandy Region. Walk South and talk and cheese. Exit. Walk around until greaves (tallow). to the Scarab again. Continue South you find a circlet. Give the cheese to and enter the Great Pyramid. Talk to the Red Rat and he'll leave you alone. the Scarab a third time. Go S to South Taira and kill the Red Simala Robber. Get the map. Locate Molehill with boots. Go NW between two signs to cross to Icy Behind the Red Door Secret Passage Mountain Passage. Continue N to Go through the Red Door. Note Lowest Plain. Go NW until you find colored splotches on the ground. As Go N and return to North Caila. the second Red Robber. Kill him. Get you cross over these different Doors Give the map to the Hermit. He will his gloves. Enter cave in NW comer. will become unlocked. Keep moving give you a draught. Go W to West Talk to the Old Man. Get ,the tinder through Rooms until you locate one Caila. Go S to trees and give water box from him. with a Yellow Door on the North from bowl. They will tdeport youto Wall. Go through. Kill the Sorcerer South Taira. Go S through rocks. Go and Archmage. Get the box. to Magic Tree. Freezing Exit Cave and go to NE comer and enter another Passage. Exit and Esta mane North Sylvar proceed S through area and exit. Proceed North until you locate Lucia. Arriving in Sylvar talk to Prince Walk to NE comer and kill third Red Talk to her. Avoid birds by rapidly Gregor. Go east two areas. Walk Robber. Get his cloak. Note Cave in moving through rooms. Continue around until you find a lantern. Go NE comer. Return to Lowest Plain. East and note Fountain. Kill Sorcerer. west one a~ea and south to Cave. Move west and you will find the three Go South. Note Peasants. Continue Enter. Go east one room and south Witches sitting around a cauldron. South until you locate a Headless through Crack in wall. Get rope. Talk to them. Get the pile of wood• Figure. Kill it. Get the amulet. Go .Exit. Go east to next room and north You are now on the Highest Icy West and get the candle. Return East through crack. Get the crown. Return Plain. Exit to Lowest Plain. Exit NE, to last room and North through to Prince and give him the crown. Get through the Passage to another Icy door. Talk to the Emperors Ghost. hat and 50 gold. Return to Cave. Plain. Now go to the Cave in the NE Proceed east until you exit Cave. comer and light a fire. 10 QuestBusters The Fountain Quest for Glory .... from 10 leave Shapeir. There is a major war Return to Lucia. Return to the down in Tama and they ask Rakeesh Emperors Ghost. Get the bottle and change. Some of the things in the to come down and stop the war or the helmet. Return to Foun~in. design arc a little unfair. What the prevent the war from happening Return to Peasants. Go to Fountain. game really cries out for is a change among those three different tribes. The 3 Witches will appear. Go East in the art. It would be so gorgeous to Your initial task is to start a peace and kill the Archmage again. Get the do it in 256 colors and do the conference. The full title of the game scroll. · Arabian Nights setting right. is Quest for Glory Ill: The Wages of Whether we do it or not depends on War. Coratinian State how well the other upgrades sell. Exit cave. Kill the Dragon. Get drag QB: What can you tell me about onskin. Go S through crack into QB: Tell me about Shadows? the Hoarding Hole. Take every Quest for Glory thing there. Exit tunnel fo the III. Cole: Shadows is going to be set in West. Go W and enter the the country known as Mordavia. You Grey Lands of Ash. Locate Cole: We've already got get to understand more about one of ring lying on ground. Walle great art and great teams the villains from one of the previous around areas until you locate putting the game together. games who plays a major part in the Hermit in the West It's set in Africa and Quest for Glory IV. You also try to Marshes. He .will give follows the stories of two prevent The Old Ones from coming you a flask to cure characters who came from back into the world. We plan to do the plaque you've Quest for Glory II - the whole genre of horror in one contracted. Rakeesh and Uhura. We game, from vampires and werewolves were. going to do to The Old Ones who want to bring Getting Ready Quest for Glory IV: darkness back into the world. Follow Hermit to Shadows of Molehill. Cave will Darkness, a Tran- The whole series has always been a appear. Enter. Rest. Get suit of sylvania-type game, next, but a transitional series, with a definite armor and shield. Exit. Follow Arun friend of ours guessed that our next pattern between each game. We were (Hermit) South to next area. Walle game would follow Rakeesh. When afraid that if we put in the Shadows across Molehill. Continue South to we thought about it, we realized that story too soon we would create this Unscathed Area. T allc to the 3 we could follow Quest for Glory II doom and gloom mood. What we Witches again. Get the Ring of quite easily and pushed Shadows really wanted was to control the Annihilation. back to be the fourth game in the movement of the game taken as a series. We also added another game series so that it gets more serious as Archmages, Archmages, to the series to follow the original you go along. The stakes keep getting goal of the series. higher as you play the games. We Sleeper want both the character and the Go North, East, North and kill the With the Quest for Glory series, we player to become experienced as the Archmage with the ring. Exit to East wanted to do a whole exploration of games go on. The fifth one will bring and reenter the Dwarf Tunnel. Rest. fantasy-type things, different cultures everything to a conclusion in which Continue East to Dwarf Cave and kill and different people. Quest for Glory the character will finally get the the Archmage. An opening will III explores the vastness of an Africa recognition for becoming a hero. B appear in the East Wall. Go through and kill the Floating Face guarding like area. We have the savannah and · the door. Turn around and kill the the jungle and different peoples. The new Quest for Glory I is sched Archmage. Note: Resting will rejuvi There is a major city run by uled to ship for MSDOS in May, and nate ring. Go through door into Rakeesh's people, a smaller town of Quest for Glory ill is a "fall prod elevator, which will descend. Go Uhura's tribe and a village of leopard uct." Meanwhile, don't miss Russ through door. Turn around. men/magic users. There is a huge Ceccola's exclusive interview with Archmage will enter. He will trans land to explore and all this culture Roberta Williams in the July issue of form into N'Gnir, The Sleeper. underneath the plot of the game. Computer Gaming World - for the first time, she reveals the "dark side The main quest in Quest for GloryIII of the force" that brought us King's takes place two months after you Quest and Laura Bow. t)tc HiQnd~-: to •Ghartel: in Holy Ruz. Word: • ·-· . '!I Banishanbat . ~ •.J. ~ Magic Candle 2 Tcleport combinations on number lock. 10200 (base number When published in the April Cyl-pyr-sph: to southern Sariss for 99). N. Use tricorder on computer terminal. Use Spock on terminal. Use Adventure &press, a few of these Pyr-cyl-pyr: Deladom Island, need Spock on writing on door. Use Spock clues suffered from misspelled words. password to get back in; see Tower of on lock. 122 (base number for They are noted with an • here, and Maratul the correction is boldfaced. Scythe). N. Use tricorder on closed Pyr-pyr-sph: back to Oshcrun door and keypad. E (on screen, Non Portal locations Pyr-cube-cube: to Rhon, X238 - map) . . Under castle in Oshcrun cellar 1: on Y053 southwest side at 16, 15 Cube-cly-pyr: to Duln Island, X217 - Drill Room Y019 •Upper Neirwood Forest: X 60 - Y58 Use tricorder on drill control panel Island south of Karlomug Swamp: Cube-cubc-cyl: to Blackwood Forest, (twice, programming the drill). Use X243- Y096 Xl-4 - Y032 (the Throat) box. Get wire (in box). Use Spock on Sph-sph-pyr: to Misor, X056-Y066 Tower of Maratul, first level: X025 - control panel. Setting 100. Use rocks Y006 Sph-pyr-cyl: to north Krum, X231 - on template (carved in stone by drill). Y009 Use Spock on control panel. Setting Isle of Winds: X120 - Y056 Cube-cyl-cyl: northern tip of 001. Get keycard (from template). W Under Deadwood (just east of cata Demons pine (on screen, Son map). Use keycard in combs entrance): X220 - Y047 Pyr-sph-cube: north of Northern keypad. N (on screen, Won map). Rhon: X220 - Y047 Tundra, X163 - YOll Use tricorder on all three computers. Use Spock on left and right computer. Cyl-cube-cyl: Farsum, X198 - Y066 Between Keshkul Lakes and Mand Use wire on left (or right) computer. Mountains Cube-cube-cube: N. Misor, X053 0 Use Spock on left computer. Y023 W anasol, in northwest comer of Paul Shaffer town: X016 - Y010 Cone-cone-cone: north of Gizra Moutains, X140 - X029 ,. Mines of Dorak, near east entrance: To avoid having to go back to a city Cone-spy-cone: S. Dcmonspine, X215 X027-Y102 to ask people questions about things -X029 you didn't know to ask them on your Sph-pyr-cone: Karlomug Swamp, first visit, use save game positions six Tombs of Gods & Secret Words X235 - Y075 or seven (and use the eighth as your •Oraniana: eastern island south of Sph-conc-cone: west of Mandarg, actual game in progress). With each Sariss: X175 - YOSS. Must have Elf X163- Y053 major town, do a save so that when in party. Word: Kirrak Cone-cone-pyr: Krum, X240 - X038 you later come across a question that •Balene: on Island of Wind, X213 - Cone-cone-sph: Krum, X215 - Y029 must be answered there, you can Y058. He wants Brennix' Sword as Cone-cube-pyr: Isle of Winds restart the saved position and get the sacrifice. Word:Kimyabin answer without having to trek all Pyr-cone-cone: Mandarg X208 - over the world. • Marior: under castle in Oshcrun, X039 second cellar, west side. Word: •oolaun nest: West Gull Island, If comfortable with DOS, you can Ranalamma X062-X019 save game positions to a floppy disk •Nefeloes: in Tower of Maratul on C. F. Shaffer and delete and erase as needed into Deladorn: Word: Asharim the Magic Candle II game directory. Rhokan: sleeps in Dorak, beneath Your FFSAV.MCI file and the appro priate FFSAVA.Mes through Great Diamond. Word: Shadguram Star Trek FFSAVH.MCS files are the ones Fronnoxx: in hills northeast of That Old Devil Moon you'll need to copy into the MC II Chasm of Mandarg, X174 - YOS9. Orbit. Hail (Uhura). Consult director. This also allows you to have Must have Somono with you. Word: computer about Proxima, Proxtrey, more than seven saved games - just Azavaz Luers, Sofs, Scythe and base numbers. don't delete your.game in progress. •Senvara: on small island northeast Tclcport. Pick up rocks. N. Use Spock Gary Miller of Pentyoe Island. Word: Urumacn 12 QuestBusters West entrance to Dorak is at 87, 207. nents at random. You get only two, receptionist from inside dentist's Whisper: Wahamial and they appear as +3 Long Swords office and make appointment. Give East entrance to Dorak: 95, 267 when equipped. The Display Magic alien ID card to dental assistant. Effects screen in camp will reveal the You'll need a Vanncx. Sec Estcfa~ in Patty in studio: to escape, turn up Llendora. difference. volume on equipment and speak into Points of interest: Disk Tricks: remember that anytime microphone. the party is empty you return to the From the west end of Mine 2, you'll Chris Kelly game's beginning, and that when you find a long narrow hall in Mine 7. load a saved game, characters in that Stay on the cast wall and then go game who are also in the Hall are. south to the west wall at 34, 33 and Willie Beamish erased from the Hall. For extra battle you'll find Rhhokadur. In Beamish house: put iodine on opportunties at the Troll Toss Inn thumb with bandage after cutting it. The route to Mine 4 begins in south before leaving Phlan, go to the Hall, Do not hide mail from Mr. Beamish, east comer of Mine 3. Path is loaded remove all characters, and add all or you'll be sent to cadet school. To with tcleportcrs, so use Detect spell characters, which restarts the game. get Nintari key, put Homey in tub and Formation command to take one To clone a character with all his stuff: with Tiffany. Use hairspray on baby extra character through with your remove him, add him back, remove sitter, then get moust from Brianna's leader each time {use Stay command again but rename rather than over room and hide behind couch. on rest of party). On first trip make write him. sure you have a strong Magic-user In park: Give Homey cola or flies to along, as you need to claim a room The handiest way to store stuff in make him jump farther. Compare to reassemble {use Disappear). In Limbo is by cloning each character. jumping distance when Gigi is not Mine 4, the tcleportal to the next area Dave's Place: cheat indiscriminately, there and when she is. is in the centcr in the water (use bcause this place isn't fair. Rest is Chris Kelly Walkwater). limited, so remcmorizc only essential Vankruh has 2,000 HP and AC 40, spells. Consider replacing party but he will let you pass if you sheathe members who will lose th.eir spells; Elvira II weapons before entering his room in use alternate characters, clones or You can get the rope from the pool in the northwest section of Mine 7. even new Fighters. All spells work for the Spider Cave by arming only with the Thieves Test. Clerics lose all their Past Vankruh, you'll find Rhokar a knife and killing the creature with spells (even Magic if they have both) Asleep. Whisper: Snadgurrm. magic. Bypass the ghost in the sitting in the Magic Users Test. Magic Users room by using the child's block. Read In the southcast comer of Mine 7 is a lose all their spells in the Clerics Test. books in library. Get poison paper. teleport chamber. Also the entrance Clerics and Magic Users lose their to the new part of Mine 6, where you To activate monster: get copper rod spells in the Fighters Test and in the from studio basement after Fireball, find a Magic Candle and a Nava (700 final confrontation. A Cleric/Magic HP). Is your scroll filled in? then use ladder and Summon Storm User loses all spells in both the Clerics spell (be sure not to accidentally cut Dan Donahue Test and Magic Users Test. wires before reactivating). Best use for Magic Users is to cast Kill fish in aquarium with poisoned spells like Enlarge and Haste prior to meat. Get poison from scientist in Pools of Darkness entering a room, then saving, reboot lab, using poison paper. Get picture Finale: there are three battles at the ing, replacing the Magic Users with of lab assistant from corpse in end. Throw a dagger or hammer in Fighters and saving the game. These bedroom. Use makeup kit, etc., note the first two to create an opportunity guys arc useless without their spells, button under bed. to switch weapons and items and for but you can't beat the blue minions Dennis R. Ewell Paladins to use the laying of hands. without Hastened, Enlarged Fighters Begin the battle Hastened and armed with fine Long Bows. Enlarged. Fighters should have fine Wes Irby This month Wes Irby and Dennis Long Bows to attack blue minions Ewell were randomly selected to and still take advantage of their super receive the game of their choice strength. Leisure Suit Larry 5 for sending in Keys. So send in Thome: cast Dispel Magic to make Airports: read the ads carefully for yours today! (All submissions him vulnerable clues on getting a limo become exclusive property of Vorpal Swords: these behead oppo- Eldritch, LTD. until October 11, Dentist: use business card to call 2317 A.O. Magic Candle 11 ...... from 1 Magic books There are many more commands There are seven magic books with six than in some of the older Ultima games, sea or land is shown from this spells each, a total of 42 spells. Many where every key on the keyboard is perspective. can be cast only in the wilderness or in related to a special command. The These three perspectives enhance the combat, so a perusal of the well-written variety of available actions is astonishing party's strategic awareness at all times. 74-page players guide is highly recom and goes well beyond the usual The party and characters arc small mended. While reading it, take a look at ~mmands of look, get and use by offer enough to allow you to orient yourself in the very useful nine rules of magic. New mg unusual commands such as your surroundings and to recognize spells such as glamour,and terrify will whisper.Bugs, all non-fatal, abound in nearby landmarks. Since the characters expand your magical combat options. the original release. I found that I had to are small, they are not as pretty as those The monsters include new, more disable my memory managers to prevent in other games, but their awareness of powerful and more intelligent foes that the keyboard and game from locking up. what's going on around them is Once I configured a clean boot disk it - are formidable adversaries for your enhanced. became manageable on my 486 and' ran group. Bows and magic seem to be the lliustrations are best in the interior most effective weapons, since the time smoothly without a hitch. The first view. Here the art displays an original needed to close with melee weapons can version of the game was released with and distinctive style. Too many designers be devastating to your group. bad coordinates for the locations of today would rather mimic the look of Autocombat is achieved via two mecha companions on assignments. the latest hit rather than develop a style nisms, where each character can Clues arc inaccurate in some cases. A of their own. individually be automated, or one char monster in Deadwood needs to be given acter can be used to lead the entire a ruby, then a topaz to get him to give The goods you the word to open the catacombs group. I thoroughly enjoyed this new Co~bat :md treasure includes a variety type of auto-combat and look to future under the city. A companion put on an of items that are magical and marve Mindcraft innovations. assignment on the "safe" Oshcrun Island Jously crafted. An assortment of was captured by the forces of evil and weapons, armor, clothing and other Special features thrown into a dungeon on Gurtex. known bugs have been fixed, and items have been integrated into a holistic Other innovative features are the auto- All the upgrade - which includes mouse approach to mapping and auto adventuring, support - is being sent to everyone who matic note-taking with day and Type: Fantasy role-playing returned their registration card. Or you systems, which can send in your disks for a replacement. night, rain and System: MSDOS (512K required make it very easy you don't want to wait for the mouse sun, and many hard disk, 286 8 MHz or faster & to keep trade of all If other features high density drive recommended the details without support, you can get the bug fixes now. (The clue book is also available now.) depicted effi EGA, VGA, 16-color Tandy· Al notes or maps. ciently and Lib, Game Blaster, Sound Bl~ter I did find Conclusions: With its depth of play, plot effectively. Roland) ' and characterization, Magic Candle II H Magic Planned ports: none myself mapping has my vote for the Best Quest of the does ~======;======::/)' ,and keeping notes Month. It has problems, but like all the Candle by distilling my best games it transcends the problems have a flaw, it is notes file after pri,nting it out, but fou:nd and involves the player to the extent that its inventory control. A character can I was less likely to miss an important easily get overloaded when carrying detail since notes could be reviewed on the problems are ignored in the pursuit arrows, magical ingredients, geometric of the greater goal of total enjoyment. line, off-line or printed for detailed shapes and other items. Reasons for a inspection. You can save only seve~ Many games released in the past few limited inventory appear illogical and games. years suffer by comparison to the rich could have been better served by an Magic Candle II's interface is not ness of features and options that Magic Candle II has given us. I highly recom ~ted inventory or an inventory what it was meant to be. The mouse limited by weight or bulk, rather than control described in the manual was not mend this game to all those who truly the limitations of available slots. completed in time, and a note in the box enjoy role-playing games and look Unfortunately, items do disappear if apologiz.es for the lade of mouse forward to the sequel, which Mindcraft dropped, and the characters do not says will be out by Christmas. M if support. Those who prefer keyboard have enough open slots, essential items controls will like this game's interface may be lost forever unless a timely with its many keyprcss-controlled ' Difficulty: Intermediate backup was made. commands. Company: Mindcraft Price: $59 QuestBusters price: $47 · 14 QuestBusters a:, ~a Bulk Rate U.S. Postage Quest Busters PAID Tucson AZ POB5845 Permit No. 1153 Tucson AZ 85703 Forwarding and Return Postage Guaranteed Address Correction Requested
By Alfred C. Giovetti · Party Returns
